Yucca blade splitting machine



Feb. 5, 1935. Q A, HAwKms 1,989,983

YUCCA BLADE SPLITTING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor Feb. 5, 1935. o. A. HAWKINS 1,989,983

YUCCA BLADE SPLIT'I'ING MACHINE Filed July 8. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f /4 .9 /7 g [5 T /9 Inventor OAHa/w/ZJM Patented Feb. 5, 1935 UNITED. STAT S Mm r OFFICE I of this classwhich is simple and inexpensive in construction, does excellent and uniform work with rapidity and accuracy and which requires only a minimum of power. v

It is also an important object of my invention to provide an apparatus of the class described abovewherein means is provided for maintaining the yucca blades in orderly position during the splitting operation, the apparatus being capable of being made in different sizes and arrangements to provide for splitting the blades into slivers of different sizes. I

Other objects and advantagesof my invention will be apparent from a readingof the following description in connection with the drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention,

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a general side elevational view of the embodiment; v

Figure 2 is a top planview of Figure 1. V

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through Figure 2 taken approximately on the line 33.

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a portion ofthe slotted plate.

t Figure 6 is a top plan View of the bumper shaft.

Figure '7 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on the line 7-7 of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken longitudinally through the knife assembly;

Figure 9 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View taken approximately on the line 9-9 of Fig ure 2.

Referring in detail'to the drawings the numeral 5 refers generally to a legged table of channel iron construction having the top portion 6. 7 Near one end of the top 6 and journalled in bearings'l, 8

. is a transverse bumper shaft 9 the form of which is clearly illustrated in Figure 6. It will be noted that the bumper shaft 9 is equipped at intervals of its length with staggered lugs 10 which are arranged to strike the bottom of a striker plate 11 carried by the under side of the vibrating feed tray 12. l

The vibrating feed tray 12 is of channel form has a corrugated bottom 13 the corrugations of which extend longitudinally thereof as illustrated in Figure 2 in alinement with the circular knives generally designated 14 which are fixed .on the shaft 15 which is journallednear the other endof the top 6 in bearings 16, 17. The bearings l6, l7 and 7, 8 are bolted to the top 6 as shown in Figure 2. v ,;,5

The shaft passes through curved slots 18 in the side walls of the slotted plate 19 which has portions of-its side walls pivoted as indicated at 21 to and outside of the adjacent end portions of the walls of the feed tray 12, and the pivots 21 are 10 mounted in brackets 22 secured to the top 6. It will be observed that the left hand end of the tray 12 is located within and abovethe floor or plate 19, as shown in Figure 3.

The arrangement described provides for the 15 vibrating of the feed tray 12 about the pivots 21 when the bumper shaft 9 is rotated. Extending downwardly from the striker plate 11 are rods 22 anchored in the striker plate 11 which pass through the horizontal portion 23 of a bracket 24 mounted on the vertical portion 2401? an L-shaped bracket 26 mounted on the top 6. The rod 22vis provided with a head 27 below the bracket portion 23, and a helical-spring 28 circumposed on the rock 22 works between the bracket portion 23 and the head 27 to maintain the vibrating, tray 12 downwardly against the bumper shaft. j

Means is provided for adjusting the plate 19 about the pivots 21 and locking the plate in such adjusted position, and this means comprises a lateral extension 29 on each side of the plate 19 as shown inFigure 7 which has fixed therein rotatably a screw 30 which projectsvertically therefrom and-screw threadedly-engages the horizontal portion 31 of a bracket 32 which is formed by a side member 33 of the top which is slotted'as indicated at 34 to receive a lug 35 projecting from the lateral extension 29. It will be obvious that adjusting the screw 30 will cause the projection 35 to move in either direction in the slot 34.

.The plate'lQ is provided with a multiplicity of transversely closely spaced similar slots 36 in which are spacedly located the rotating knives 14 which are mounted on the shaft 15. The shaft 15 is shown in Figure 8 as provided vat one end with a stop collar 40 against which is placed one of the circular disk knives 41 and between this knife 41 and its neighboring knife42 is disposed a spacer 43, and this arrangement is carried out throughout thelength of the shaft 15, the opposite end of the shaft being provided with awasher and a lock nut for locking the knives in position on the shaft 15. The corrugations in the feed tray 12 are alined with the knives so as to feed the yucca b ades accurately and uniformly to the knives,

and the knives, as they cut through the blades, act in conjunction with the corrugations to maintain the yucca blades properly alined and spaced and to provide for uniformly cutting or splitting the yucca blades.

One end of the shaft 9 is provided with a belt pulley 43, and the knife shaft 15 is provided with a small belt pulley 44. The belt pulleys 43 and 44 are operatively connected by a suitable belt 45. In addition to the belt pulley 44 the shaft 15 has the drive pulley 46 for connection of a source of power.

It will be observed that the yucca blades are to be fed by an operator on to the feed tray 12 and pushed toward the knife 14 during the vibration of the feed tray. The angular arrangement of the feed tray together with the vibration thereof feeds the yucca blades uniformly toward and through the knives, while the sides of. the plate 19 as well as the sides on the tray 12 keep the yucca blades properly positioned during the cutting operation.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire to limit the application of the invention thereto, and any change or changes may be made in material, structure and arrangement of parts, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a table, a pair of spaced shafts journalled on the upper part of the table, longitudinally spaced disk knives on one of the shafts, bumpers on the remaining shaft, a vibratory feed tray mounted over the second shaft and actuated thereby, a slotted tray fed by the vibratory tray, the disk knives projecting through the slots of the slotted tray.

2. A device of the character described comprising a table, a pair of spaced shafts journalled on the upper part of the table, longitudinally spaced disk knives on one of the shafts, bumpers on the remaining shaft, a vibratory feed tray mounted over the second shaft and actuated thereby, a slotted tray fed by the vibratory tray, the disk knives projecting through the slots of the slotted tray, the shafts being operatively connected with each other for simultaneous operation.

3. A device of the character described comprising a table, a pair of spaced shafts journalled on the upper part of the table, longitudinally spaced disk knives on one of the shafts, bumpers on the remaining shaft, a vibratory feed tray mounted over the second shaft and actuated thereby, a slotted tray fed by the vibratory tray, the disk knives projecting through the slots of the slotted tray, said vibratory tray having a corrugated bottom, the corrugations of which are aiined with the spaced disk knives for guiding the material during the cutting operation.

4. A device of the character described comprising a table, a pair of spaced shafts journaled on the upper part of the table, longitudinally spaced disk knives on one of the shafts, bumpers on the remaining shaft, a vibratory feed tray mounted over the second shaft and actuated thereby, a slotted tray fed by the vibratory tray, the disk knives projecting through the slots of the slotted tray, said feed tray and said slotted tray having upstanding sides, and pivot means pivoting the sides of said feed tray to the sides of said slotted tray.

5. A device of the character described comprising a table, a pair of spaced shafts journaled on the upper part of the table, longitudinally spaced disk knives on one of the shafts, bumpers on the remaining shaft, a vibratory feed tray mounted over the second shaft and actuated thereby, a slotted tray fed by the vibratory tray, the disk knives projecting through the slots of the slotted tray, said feed tray and said slotted tray having upstanding sides, and pivot means pivoting the sides of said feed tray to the sides of said slotted tray, said pivot means being connected for support to the upper part of the table.

6. A device of the character described comprising a table, a pair of spaced shafts journaled on the upper part of the table, longitudinally spaced disk knives on one of the shafts, bumpers on the remaining shaft, a vibratory feed tray mounted over the second shaft and actuated thereby, a slotted tray fed by the vibratory tray, the disk knives projecting through the slots of the slotted tray, and spring tension means connected between said vibratory tray and the table for yieldably holding said vibratory tray in engagement with said remaining shaft.

7. A device of the character described comprising a table, a pair of spaced shafts journaled on the upper part of the table, longitudinally spaced disk knives on one of the shafts, bumpers on the remaining shaft, a vibratory feed tray mounted over the second shaft and actuated thereby, a slotted tray fed by the vibratory tray, the disk knives projecting through the slots of the slotted tray, said slotted tray being pivotally supported on said table, and adjustable means connected between a portion of the upper part of the table and a portion of said slotted tray remote from its pivotal point for adjustably elevating and depressing the position of said slotted tray relative to said disk knives.

8. A device of the character described comprising a table, a pair of spaced shafts journaled on the upper part of the table, longitudinally spaced disk knives on one of the shafts, bumpers on the remaining shaft, a vibratory feed tray mounted over the second shaft and actuated thereby, a slotted tray fed by the vibratory tray, the disk knives projecting through the slots of the slotted tray, said feed tray and said slotted tray having upstanding sides, and pivot means pivoting the sides of said feed tray to the sides of said slotted tray, said pivot means being connected for support to the upper part of the table and pivotally supporting one end of said slotted tray on said table, and adjustable means connected between a portion of the upper part of the table and the free end of said slotted tray for adjustably elevating and depressing the position of said slotted tray.

ORLIE A. HAWKINS. 

